Epic Sitch: 1776
by MrDrP
Summary: Before Kim and Ron, before Mim and Jon, there were Pim and Lon.  Join Priscilla Possible and Zebulon Stoppabilski for adventure and romance during the American Revolution ... Part of the Epic Sitch Universe ...[COMPLETE].
1. The Christmas Tree

A/N: Hello all. Readers of _Epic Sitch_ may recognize the protagonists of this story – Pim and Lon appeared in chapter 14 of _ES_.

_KP:1776_ is part of the Epic Sitch universe.

My thanks to campy for once again beta and proofreading.

Write a review, get a response.

If you saw it on _KP_, it belongs to Disney

* * *

I. 

"Lon! Stop playing around!" Priscilla Possible chided as her companion's breeches fell to the ground.

Zebulon Stoppabilski wondered just what his companion was thinking. "Pim! I cannot believe you thought I did that for fun," he said through chattering teeth as he gathered up his breeches. "'Tis freezing!"

His auburn-haired best friend tried to seem put out, but he could detect a note of fond amusement in her large green eyes. She reached and took his hand, blushing as she did so. "Come, Lon, we must be quick if we are to help!"

Lon was grateful to Pim's family for all they had done for him, the orphaned son of casualties of the French and Indian War. But he couldn't help but question the wisdom of sneaking behind British lines in the early, night-shrouded hours of the day after Christmas to steal a tree from drunken German mercenaries. Of course, the operation was not his idea; it was Colonel Possible who insisted that the diversion would be of great help to General Washington's surprise attack on Trenton. And when Pim insisted on participating in the mission, he joined her. If Pim was going into the field, there was no question that Lon would be by her side. The reason for that was simple – Lon loved the young woman.

He loved her spunk, her sense of adventure, her openness to the world, her beautiful hair and eyes. And he knew she loved him. Yet for all the change sweeping the world in 1776, a Christian girl from a family of the Possibles' standing was not going to be allowed to marry a poor Jewish boy. And since Pim's hand in marriage had already been offered to the local squire, a development that both Lon and Pim found highly objectionable, Lon wanted to spend every moment he could with her before she started her new life – even if it meant participating in a military operation on the coldest night in years.

Pim and Lon quietly made their way to the edge of the cluster of buildings. She turned, looking over her shoulder at her brown-eyed, straw-haired companion. Awkward, but loyal. Easily scared, yet willing to do anything to help her. Selfless. Funny. Happy to indulge her by calling her Pim, and not Priscilla, a name that she hated. Not classically handsome, but attractive in his own special way. _Yes, Lon does have his charms_, she thought._ Especially those large but very cute ears!_ Pim suddenly found herself unable to stifle a giggle as her eyes focused on his ears. Lon was everything the squire was not. Pim so wished that she were marrying Lon. She knew they would be happy together. But, she reflected bitterly, the choice about her future had been taken out of her hands and made for her by her father. So she treasured every minute she could with her Lon.

She smiled, then hefted a rock that had been secured in hemp and attached to a rope over the eave of an outbuilding, made it fast, then began climbing. Lon quickly followed behind her.

II.

Lon grabbed on to the rope that Pim had made fast and scaled the wall; where Pim had been a study in gracefulness, Lon was all gangly arms and legs, terrified that he'd plummet to the ground and give the two of them away. However, the idea of Pim being captured by drunken Hessians helped him steady himself. He took a deep breath and completed his ascent.

Pim brought a finger to her lips indicating that Lon should be quiet. He nodded his understanding. Following her lead was something he did with ease; Pim had a natural sense of command. She dropped into a crouch and slowly made her way along the peak of the roof; Lon followed behind her. The night air was bitterly cold, which gave them an advantage – none of the German mercenaries had any interest in standing guard outdoors on such an evening.

The young woman came to a sudden stop; Lon, surprised, bumped into her. Pim dropped down to the roof, facing Lon. They instinctively grabbed onto each other – and held on longer than necessary. For the briefest moment, their eyes locked, then they both flushed. Each already knew how the other felt. But this time something passed between them, breaching a wall they had unconsciously erected to protect themselves against disappointment.

They were exhilarated, yet terrified, knowing they both wanted something they believed impossible for them to have. At least, though, they had this moment and they were ready to surrender to their feelings. Pim sighed, closed her eyes, then confidently brought her lips to Lon's.

"Pim …" he said, feeling a joy and excitement unlike any he'd ever known before, as she broke the brief kiss.

"Let us finish this business with the King's soldiers, then we shall take stock of our situation," she said with assurance. "We shall find a way, together."

Lon nodded his agreement; if Pim said it was possible, then it was possible. As far as he was concerned, she could do anything.

III.

Zin Possible led his small party of men into the compound from the opposite direction. Though his attention was on his objective, he could not help but worry about his daughter. It was only with the greatest of reluctance that he allowed Priscilla to participate in the raid. He only consented when he realized that she would come on her own anyway. He then quickly concluded that it was better to work her into the plans so she wasn't accidentally caught in any crossfire. Besides, truth be told, she could be an asset. Zin Possible knew that his daughter was a better shot than most of the men under his command.

Sometimes, the colonel didn't know what to make of his daughter's proficiency with a musket. There was something unnerving about her desire to do such unwomanly things as shoot, run through the woods, and climb. Her almost-wild behavior had scared away any number of suitors. It was only because Squire Mankey's first wife had died in childbirth that he had taken an interest in her; the local grandee sought a woman who could bear him an heir. True, the squire was significantly older than Priscilla. And the once handsome man had grown corpulent and drank so much port that he had a nasty case of the gout. But he was one of the most important men in the county, a prosperous individual who had seemed to know when it was time to give up on the British and throw in his lot with the Patriot cause. He could prove to be a formidable ally – or enemy.

Zin had not lightly pledged his daughter to Ephraim Mankey. He acted out of need. The war had drained the colonel's finances and Mankey had offered to settle all of Zin's debts in exchange for Priscilla's hand in marriage. Marrying her off to Mankey would restore Zin's position and secure his young son's prospects for the future. Zin knew that Priscilla loathed the Squire; that was truly unfortunate. He hoped some day she might feel otherwise about the man who would be her husband, though, ultimately, her feelings were secondary to her fulfillment of her responsibilities. Zin believed that everyone had his or her duty to do. And just as he made sacrifices in fighting for his country, Priscilla would have to make this sacrifice for her family.

IV.

Zin Possible scanned the area. He and his party fanned out among the group of log buildings. Quietly, they made their way to the parade ground where the Hessian Christmas tree stood. He looked up to the roofline of the barracks opposite his position and saw Priscilla and Lon. They were now perched atop the structure, surveying the scene; had he looked up but a few moments earlier, he would have been shocked by the sight of his daughter kissing the orphaned Jew who lived with them. Instead, he saw two young people waiting to act. He was relieved to see them on the rooftop; he had sent them aloft to keep them out of the way.

The colonel approached the tree, his men by his side. The Americans could hear singing coming from the barracks. The plan was to quietly take down the decoration and spirit it away. Only after they had gone past the limits of the camp and made it to the edge of the forest would they make noise to confuse and distract the Redcoats in anticipation of General Washington's attack. Unfortunately, as is often the case on the battlefield, things did not go according to plan.

Zin and his men were in the midst of taking down the tree when a Hessian emerged from one of the barracks to relieve himself. Though he had been tippling, the soldier was sober enough to know that a group of rebels should not be gathered around the Scotch pine and that they most definitely should not be taking it down. He called out in German, which startled Zin and his compatriots and brought his fellow mercenaries, some of whom had the presence of mind to grab their weapons, out into the night air.

V.

Pim and Lon watched as events unfolded with lightning speed. One moment, all was going according to plan; the next, things had gone completely awry. They felt helpless as the Hessians leveled their guns at her father and his men. Lon then watched as a determined expression formed on Pim's face. He knew that look. She was going to do something.

Something most probably reckless.

Pim was glad she was wearing breeches, which her father disapproved of. Pim didn't always wear them; she often wore dresses, and quite happily, too. Like most young women she enjoyed looking pretty. But she didn't see why she couldn't dress comfortably when she chose to play outdoors and breeches were a far more practical option for such activity than a dress. Of course, she knew her father thought she should not have been roaming the woods with a gun, hemp and hook, and other unsuitable-for-a-young-woman accoutrements in the first place. She knew Squire Mankey felt the same way. The thought of him caused her to scowl. She knew who she wanted to be with; he had always been right by her side, just as he was now. The thought of Lon and his unbridled confidence in her lifted her spirits and spurred her to act.

She positioned her feet toward the eave, then scrabbled, crab-like, to the edge of the roof. She surveyed the scene, then leaped.

Lon was shocked. The sight of Pim going over the edge distracted him and he lost his balance; his feet slipped out from beneath him, and he began to fall.

Pim landed on top of a Hessian, knocking the man to the ground. She began struggling with him over his weapon. Though she was more agile, he was much larger. And to complicate matters, another soldier was now training his musket on her.

Then, much to everyone's surprise, Lon came over the edge crying out "Piiiiiiimmmmmmm!"

All heads turned to the sound. Pim took advantage of the distraction to wrest the musket free of its owner and Zin and his men jumped their would-be captors. Lon, meanwhile, landed on the head of the man threatening Pim; he happened to be the one in charge of the detachment.

"'Tis fine work you have done," Pim, wearing a radiant smile, said to Lon. "Perhaps the General will give you a commission in the Continental Army."

"You mock me, Pim," he replied, sporting a grin of his own.

Once again their eyes locked. They knew what they wanted to do. But this time they were not alone; Zin Possible and his men were watching. There would be no congratulatory kisses.

"Priscilla, Zebulon, come," the officer said. "General Washington will be expecting this tree in Brandywine."

"But, Colonel. Were we not–" Lon began to say before Pim elbowed him.

"Supposed to meet him elsewhere?" Pim growled. "Yes, but that was until he changed the plan," she added, speaking slowly and emphasizing each word as she stared at her friend.

"Oooohhhhh! Brandywine. Riiiight," Lon said as the meaning of Pim's words dawned on him. "Yes. We must go to Brandywine," he said looking at the Hessians. "Bran-dy-wine. That's where the Americans are."

Pim rolled her eyes, then chuckled. _Dearest Lon. He may not be bright, but I do love him so …_ she thought, feeling both radiant warmth and heart-rending pain. For while she had found the man with whom she wished to spend the rest of her life, she did not know how she would be able to make that happen.

VI.

"Here, let me neaten your hair. 'Tis a mess."

"Pim, please stop fussing about," Lon whined.

"I wish only that you look presentable when we meet the General. 'Tis quite the honor," she said knowingly.

"'Tis quite the honor to be here with you, m'lady," Lon replied, trying to sound sophisticated. He drew near to his old friend, who was wearing a robin's-egg blue taffeta dress that set off her auburn hair and green eyes perfectly. "You … you …" he stammered.

"What, Lon?" she asked playfully.

"You are so beautiful," he blurted out before continuing more confidently, "you are the most beautiful woman in the world."

Pim beamed at Lon, treasuring those words. She smiled demurely at him, blushing. In the field and with a musket she was a hellion; but in matters of the heart, she was still a shy girl, despite her boldness on the rooftop the night of the raid.

"Thank you, Zebulon," she said, taking his hands. "To hear those words from you …"

Lon took a deep breath, then brought his lips to Pim's. Where on the roof the kiss had been brief and chaste, this one was slow and passionate. Time stopped for the two young people as they lost themselves in each other.

After they broke the kiss, Pim reached up and caressed Lon's cheek. "Darling Lon. I love you so."

"And I love you," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist before he began kissing her once again. They were lost in the moment when the door opened; they had not heard the knock.

"Priscilla!" a stern voice barked out.

Pim and Lon broke off the kiss and gawped at the enraged figure of Zin Possible.

"You," he said, pointing at Lon. "You will get out of my house. Now!"

"Father!" Pim protested.

Zin ignored Pim and advanced on Lon. "I provide you with a home and food, treated you like a son, and this is how you repay my kindness? You, sir, are a scallywag!"

"B–but, sir, I, I love Pim …" the young man stammered

Zin Possible's eyes narrowed. Pim winced; never before had she seen such a cold expression on her father's face.

"You love her? You would ruin her! You know that she is spoken for!" he snarled.

Lon's jaw tightened and his back stiffened. "Pim is not some thing for you to pledge to another, especially to that Tory Mankey!"

"He ... he is not a Tory!" Zin objected.

"'Sha! Everyone knows that he is a sympathizer. No, sir, he is nothing but a fat scoundrel," Lon said heatedly, "clearly unworthy of Pim."

"A fat scoundrel is more worthy of my daughter than a penniless Jew!" Zin snapped.

"Father!" Pim exclaimed. To see this dark side of her beloved father, a man for whom she'd always had the utmost respect, was painful beyond words. "How can you …"

"Be quiet, Priscilla, and do not speak until you are spoken to," her father commanded.

"No, sir. I shall not be quiet! Not in the face of such ugliness," she answered defiantly.

"Then I shall quiet you," he said before slapping his daughter across the face.

Pim stood there, rooted to the floor in shock. Never before had her father hit her.

Lon was outraged. He pulled back his fist to strike at Zin, but the older man, who was a far more experienced fighter, saw what Lon was going to do and anticipated the attack. He parried Lon's blow, then retaliated with two of his own, the first to Lon's gut, followed by another to his chin. Lon staggered backwards before crumpling to the floor. Pim, shaken from her reverie, raced to his side.

Lon, doubled over in pain, was groaning.

"Say your farewells, Zebulon," Zin said evenly as he turned to the door, "and then be gone, and do not return. For should I ever see you approaching my house again, I promise you will be greeted with a musket ball."

VII.

Zin left the room and stalked out the front door. Priscilla's impetuosity, her selfish, girlish foolishness, threatened the fortunes of his family, especially his son's future. She knew the war had taken a deep toll on his finances; that he needed Mankey's assistance to help him through his difficulties. Priscilla was aware of all this. Yet instead of doing what was right for her family, she wished to give herself to a poltroon.

_Well, perhaps that is not fair to Zebulon_, he thought. Zin was willing to acknowledge that Zebulon was a good-hearted young man who had been a devoted friend to his daughter. Zin had seen the way Zebulon had followed his daughter these many years; but he had never suspected a romantic connection. Instead he had only seen a fiercely loyal companion who abided his daughter's eccentricities. Perhaps Zebulon did have good qualities; that still did not make him a suitable husband for Priscilla.

Zin's jaw was clenched as he made his way to his stable. A friendship that had been a source of safety and security for his daughter had suddenly become a threat to the prosperity of his family. The young man would have to be dealt with. He pondered his options and soon found himself at the front door of the largest house in the village, the home to the man who would be able to help Zin resolve this unforeseen complication.

_TBC …_


	2. The Night Ride

A/N: Pim and Lon first appeared in chapter 14 of _Epic Sitch_. _KP:1776_ is part of the Epic Sitch universe.

Thanks to JeanieBeani33, campy, Acaykath, Classic Cowboy, Molloy, Yankee Bard, Exbok58a, JPMod, Zaratan, kemiztri, momike, Ultimate Naco Topping, Josh84, whitem, surforst, daywalkr82, kpandron, TAZER ZERO, US.Steele, jasminevr, Ace Ian Combat, conan98002, mattb3671, and darkcloud1 for reviewing.

Thanks to campy for beta and proofreading.

Write a review, get a response.

It you saw it on _KP_, it belongs to Disney.

* * *

I. 

"Lon, I am so sorry," Pim said, cradling his head in her lap.

"'Tis nothing, Pim," he replied. "Your father is a hot-tempered man who wishes only the best for his daughter."

Pim scowled. "Sadly, I must disagree. Were what you say true, he would wish me to marry you. Instead, he, he has betrothed me to that swine."

Lon looked into Pim's eyes. They were filled with sorrow and longing. He wished he had a solution. But at that moment, he had nary an idea. The truth be told, as much as he yearned to be with Pim, he never believed they could have a future together. The obstacles confronting them were just too great.

Pim returned Lon's gaze. She saw the look of resignation in his eyes, and it angered her. It made no sense that she should be parted from the person she loved most in the world, especially now that they had crossed a threshold. She determined at that moment that she and Lon would not be separated and a plan quickly began to take form in her head.

II.

Colonel Zin Possible was ushered into the library of Squire Mankey's elegant brick house. The room was warmed by a roaring fire, most welcome on this bitterly cold winter's night. Mankey sat in a wing chair, his gout-swollen left leg propped up on a stool, a glass of Madeira in his hand. He indicated that his visitor should take the seat opposite him.

"Possible," the fat man said, as if acknowledging a subordinate. "What brings you out this evening? Should you not be with the General?"

"I will soon be rejoining the Continental Army, Squire," he answered. "But I first needed to discuss a most nettlesome problem with you."

Mankey took a sip of his wine, then cocked an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

"It would seem that Priscilla has taken a fancy to young Stoppabilski."

"I see," Mankey replied evenly. "I trust this will not affect the nuptials? That would be most … unfortunate."

Zin gulped. He knew he could not afford to alienate the squire. "Worry not, sir. I can control my daughter. But I believe matters would be less complicated were Zebulon to be …"

"… permanently indisposed?" Mankey interjected.

"Yes. No! I mean, well, if he could be, perhaps, somewhere else, then Priscilla would be forced to abandon the folly of her ways and prepare for her marriage."

Mankey looked at Possible through hooded eyes. He was a predator, a once handsome man who had run to fat and now looked like a rotund reptile ready to eat another creature's meal.

"Worry not, Colonel. I shall attend to the matter this very night."

III.

"You are sure of this, Pim?" Lon asked nervously.

"Yes. I will not spend my life parted from my beloved, even if it means living in a rude hut in the woods. We will flee to the West and make new lives for ourselves in the Ohio country."

Lon looked around the comfortably appointed room. Pim was preparing to sacrifice so much to be with him.

"You cannot do this," he said.

Pim arched an eyebrow. "You, sir, are not the master of me. You will not tell me what I can and cannot do." Then, in a softer tone, she added. "Dearest Lon, do you not understand? I wish to be with you, and you only. I most certainly do not wish to be with the odious Squire Mankey. What good are the comforts of a warm home if I am unable to share them with my beloved?"

Lon sighed, filled with both joy and fear. Pim had made up her mind and he knew there was no turning back. Then he brushed his lips against hers. "Very well, m'lady. I shall retrieve my belongings and then I will saddle up the horses. When will you be ready to depart?"

"I need but a few minutes to gather together some necessities for our journey." Pim not only planned on packing some clothes, but on raiding her father's strong box and gun case. She wanted them to be prepared for what lay ahead.

IV.

Zin left Mankey's house feeling distinctly uncomfortable. This was the place his beloved daughter would soon call home. Yet he knew that it would not be a home for her, but a prison. He tried to suppress the image of Mankey being with Priscilla as a husband would be; the notion made him want to retch, especially when he recalled the expression on her face when she was kissing Zebulon. That had been love. Misguided, inconvenient, unwelcome from his perspective, but it was true and pure. He wondered if he had made a mistake, but then chased the thought from his mind. He could not afford to be sentimental, not now. Too much was at stake.

V.

Lon carried his small bag to the stable behind the Possibles' house. The colonel had a good eye for horseflesh, and was one of the finest riders in the county; his daughter, by some accounts, was even better. Lon, on the other hand, would never impress anybody with his riding skills, though he could at least handle himself; Pim had seen to that over the years. He chuckled as he recalled how she had forced him to learn how to ride, refusing to even acknowledge his initial terror when around the animals. She was determined to have his companionship when she was out and about the countryside and that was all there was to it. He was now glad for her insistence.

Pim had her own horse, a beautiful chestnut mare she called Artemis. Though Lon did not have a horse of his own (if he had, he would have named it Rufus for reasons even he could not fathom), he often rode the stallion called Mercury. He hoped that that night the huntress would watch over and protect them and that they would be able to travel as swiftly as the messenger of the gods.

He had finished saddling up the animals when he heard footsteps. He smiled and turned, glad that Pim had arrived.

VI.

Pim avoided the worthless Continental currency; she instead filled a small pouch with gold and silver coins. Valuable on the seaboard, they would be worth a fortune in the interior. She then turned to the gun cabinet. She took down a musket, powder horn, and a container of shot. Then her eyes fell upon Zin's pistols. Those would prove most useful. She felt a momentary pang of guilt stealing from her father, but that feeling quickly passed as she thought of the love that her father intended to deprive her.

She slipped the pistols into the band of her breeches, picked up the sack of coins, and grabbed the musket.

She looked around the room, not expecting to see the familiar space for a long time. Perhaps after she and Lon had married and settled down she would return. While she was furious with her father, she bore no ill will towards her brother, Phineas.

She would miss Phin. The boy was two years younger than she, but had as adventurous a spirit. She knew that by leaving town, her father's finances would suffer grave, perhaps irreparable, decline and that Phin would pay the price. He would most likely have to withdraw from the College. But she could easily see him taking up soldiering or even following Lon and her to the frontier. She wanted the best for him – but not at the price of her heart and body. She knew he would understand. As would her mother have. If only she had not passed away two years earlier. She would have helped prevent her father from losing his bearings.

Pim was turning to leave the room when the door opened and her father entered. His eyes opened wide as he saw his daughter with her bag, sack, and weapons.

"Priscilla!" he exclaimed.

"Father," she said evenly.

"What are you doing?"

"I am leaving; is that not obvious?"

"But you cannot do that!" he exclaimed, realizing what she was about to do. "What of Phin? What of me?"

As much as it broke her heart to do so, she couldn't help but look at her father with contempt. "What of _you_? What of _me_?" she snapped. "You ride off to war to fight for the liberty of your countrymen, but you care nothing for the liberty of your own child! You would sell me to Squire Mankey to pay off your debts!"

"You speak harshly, my daughter," he said, noticing that she had unsheathed one of the pistols. "Do not do this, Priscilla, I beg of you."

"I do what I must, Father."

Zin stiffened. "Do you? You follow your heart, and abandon your family, your duty, your responsibility."

Pim's eyes widened in shock. "'Tis not I who betrays principle for expediency, whose words have hypocrisy as their handmaiden."

"That is not true!" the colonel protested, now trying to save face before his elder child.

"Oh? Did you not proclaim Mr. Jefferson's declaration the grandest work ever to come from the mind of man?"

"Yes, I did," he said soberly.

"'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,'" she recited. "Yet to you not all men are created equal when it comes to being worthy of my affections. To you those words apply not to Lon simply because he is of the Hebrew race and he is poor."

Zin blanched. His daughter was right.

"You will move aside, Father, and let me pass," she ordered, her hand on the pistol stock.

"Pri–"

Both heads turned as they heard noises outside – things were being knocked over. And a person was yelling. It was Lon. He was in trouble.

VII.

Lon had turned, thinking that it was Pim who had entered the stable. He was surprised when instead he saw two ruffians.

"You'll be coming with us, zur," one of them said. His companion merely smiled at Lon, who could not help but notice the number of teeth the man was missing. Nor could he miss the pistol that was pointed directly at his heart.

"I thank you for the invitation," Lon said, his eyes darting around to see how he might make an escape. "But I shall have to decline. I am, uh, otherwise engaged." Lon saw a hoe, dove for it and came up swinging. He struck the first man on the arm, knocking him off balance, then turned to the second – only to find the pistol now mere inches from his face.

"I was told by the Squire not to shoot you," the thug snarled. "But he said nothing about an accident. The young lady would suffer quite a shock if she were to come out and find you without a face, eh, zur?"

"Mankey," Lon hissed, as he felt the other man seize his arms and begin to bind him. He had only one hope. "PIIIIMMMMMMM!" he cried out. It was the last thing he remembered doing.

VIII.

Pim and Zin ran out of the house but Lon was nowhere to be seen. She darted to the stable, saw the saddles on Artemis and Mercury – and Lon's bag next to the latter's stall. She ran back out and found her father.

"What have you done?" she demanded.

"I, I …"

"Damn your eyes! Speak to me!" she yelled with a ferocity Zin never imagined possible.

"I asked Squire Mankey to spirit Zebulon away. I thought that were he gone, you might …"

"… Be more willing to marry the foul swine? You thought wrong, Father. I will never marry him. Never!" she declared. "Now where are they taking Lon?"

"I do not know," he said, broken. It was dawning on him that his daughter now truly despised him. He did not stop her as she ran out of the courtyard and down the street towards Mankey's house.

IX.

Pim rapped the knocker violently, not stopping until Mankey's butler opened the door.

"Yes?"

"I am here to see the Squire," Pim said.

The butler appraised Pim, looking at her with distaste. "I am sorry," he said. "But the Squire has retired for the evening. Perhaps you might return on the morrow."

Pim's eyes narrowed. She lost no time in drawing one of the pistols and leveling it at the supercilious retainer. "I think I shall see him now, please and thank you."

The butler gulped. "Follow me, if you will."

Pim was shown into the library, where Mankey still sat by the fire. He looked up at Pim and smiled. "Ah, so my future bride has come to visit."

"What have you done with him?" she demanded.

"I know not of what you speak," the squire said innocently.

"Let us try again," Pim said, now leveling the pistol at the fat man. "Where is he?"

"He is gone. That is all you need to know, dear."

"I am ready to pull this trigger, Squire."

"And if you do, you foolish girl, you are as good as dead. Surely, you will hang."

"I am as good as dead, already, if you have stolen Lon from me. Now speak!" she ordered. Not getting a response, she pointed the pistol at a spot just to the side of Mankey's head and fired. "I missed on purpose that time, sir. The next time I will not," she said tucking the pistol in her waistband and withdrawing its companion, which she pointed at the Squire. "Now tell me, you worthless scoundrel, where is he?"

Mankey's sangfroid was shaken; beads of perspiration had begun to form on his forehead. "I have arranged for Stoppabilski to be impressed into the Royal Navy."

"What? How?" Pim asked. She knew that the English controlled the seas and could move about with impunity. Still, there were no members of the Navy present in Princeton to scour the streets for men to man the King's ships.

"He is being brought to Camden …"

"Where?" she demanded.

"Tyler's Wharf."

Pim turned and ran from the house. She knew she did not have much time if she was to save Lon. For once he was on board that ship, he would be lost to her forever.

X.

When Lon came to he discovered that he was bound and gagged – and in a trunk. The way it was bouncing around, he suspected that he was on top of a stagecoach. He still had no idea of where he was being taken, other than away from Pim. He hoped she was safe.

He thought of her, of their years together as friends, and of their recent acknowledgments to each other of their true feelings. He thought of the life they were going to make together on the frontier. And he thought of her kisses. Lon felt hopelessness encroaching as he thought of how all of that was taken away from him; he had a very bad feeling that these men weren't going to leave him somewhere from which he could return to Princeton. He wanted to cry, but would not allow himself to succumb to despair. Not yet. For now, for Pim, he would be strong.

XI.

Artemis raced across the Jersey countryside. Pim was pushing the horse harder than she ever had before. She wasn't sure what she was going to do when she reached the waterfront; all she had at her disposal were her father's pistols and the musket, which she'd slung across her back. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her body wrapped in a man's greatcoat. She would at least enjoy a moment before anybody realized she was a girl.

She had never known such fury or despair before. The anger she felt for her father was intense, though it was nothing compared to the hatred she felt for the Squire. She would deal with him, somehow, after she had rescued Lon. He would pay for his villainy, of that she was sure.

XII.

The coach had come to a stop; Lon could hear muffled voices, though he couldn't understand what they were saying. He was struggling against his bindings, but to no avail, when he felt the trunk being shifted. The lid was opened. Hands reached down and rudely pulled him up.

Lon tried to get his footing, but he was pushed and fell to the street; he was grateful it was so cold, elsewise, he'd be lying in mud. He looked up and found himself peering at a party of uniformed men holding muskets with bayonets.

The uniforms weren't American. And the weapons were pointed at him.

"Here are your five shillings," one of the uniformed men said to one of Lon's captors. "Now be gone."

The two men who had abducted him quickly disappeared.

"To your feet!" the man commanded.

"W-what's going on?" Lon asked, confused and a bit scared, as two of the uniformed men grabbed his arms and began leading him towards the end of the wharf.

"Quiet!" the man ordered.

Lon was now terrified, convinced that he was going to be killed.

Lon closed his eyes, and let out a silent prayer, then he thought of Pim.

"Get in!" the man ordered.

"Huh?" Lon responded.

"Get into the longboat, rebel," the man hissed.

"W-why? Aren't you going to kill me?"

The uniformed man laughed. "Kill you? Why would I do that when we are in need of seamen?"

Then it dawned on Lon. He was being impressed. And that meant that as far as seeing Pim again was concerned, they may as well have shot him.

XIII.

Pim raced through the streets of Camden to the waterfront. She turned a corner and saw in the distance a party of men descending to a boat. One of them was Lon. She spurred Artemis on, but wasn't there in time and could only watch helplessly as the boat began pulling away from the wharf.

XIV.

Lon looked up and saw Pim waving frantically.

"Piiiiimmmmmmmm!" he cried, jumping to his feet. He managed to add "I love you!" before he was yanked back down to the thwart.

XV.

Pim was too late; she knew that. Tears began to form in her eyes. She was losing her Lon.

She dismounted Artemis. She looked around, hoping there might be someone nearby who could help; desperate, she called out for help, but there was no response.

Pim was alone.

As she looked out upon the night waters and his receding figure, she called out to him, "Lon, I shall always love you!"

_TBC …_


	3. The Visitors

Thanks to conan98002, whitem, calamite, JeanieBeanie33, GargoyleSama, Darkcloud1, Classic Cowboy, daywalkr82, US.Steele, mattk, kemiztri, Molloy, Paulo-1983, surforst, Yuri Sisteble, Aero Tendo, Ace Ian Combat, Ezbok58a, momike, jasminevr, TAZER ZERO, campy, Zaratan, JMAN2.0, TexasDad, IncrediRaider8, and Brother to Vorlons for reviewing and to everyone for reading.

Write a review, get a response.

Thanks to campy, my ever-reliable beta and proofreader.

If you saw it on _KP_, it belongs to Disney.

Pim and Lon first appeared in chapter 14 of _Epic Sitch_. _KP:1776_ is part of the Epic Sitch universe.

* * *

I.

He was in his early twenties, with straw-colored hair, blue eyes, and freckles that stubbornly refused to fade. He had always been conscious of those freckles, feeling that they made him seem more of a boy, but the thought of how the woman to his side found them to be alluring always brought a lop-sided grin to his face.

Aaron Stoppabilski and his bride Rachel, along with their young daughter and son, walked down the street of the sleepy college town. The stagecoach had let them off at the inn, where they had deposited their bags and been given directions to their destination.

The house was at the edge of the village. It was a large, well-manicured place. Yet it seemed forlorn. With a bit of apprehension, they proceeded up the walk to the front door. Aaron looked at the knocker, then at his wife, who squeezed his arm in support. Then he rapped.

The door opened to reveal a manservant.

"Yes?" he asked, apparently surprised by the appearance of a family of four at the doorstep.

"Good day, we are here to call on Madame Mankey. Might she be home?"

"Who may I say is calling?"

Aaron told the man his name.

It was not long before a petite, still attractive woman of about fifty with large, sorrow-filled green eyes and gray-streaked auburn hair dressed in black appeared.

"Lon? It cannot be …" she stammered as she stared at the young man. She knew it wasn't him; he was far too young and his eyes were the wrong color. But still she was struck by the overwhelmingly powerful resemblance to the boy with whom she'd fallen in love so long ago.

He knew that had been her special name for Zebulon. He dipped his head, then responded. "I am sorry it is not so; I am his son," he said in an English accent.

Pim continued to stare at her guests. Lon had a son.

"And this is my family …"

Lon had … _grandchildren_.

Pim regained her wits, then stepped aside from the door. "You must forgive me for my rudeness; do, please come in," she said as she led them into the parlor. "May I offer you some refreshment?" she asked.

"You are most gracious, ma'am. We should be most grateful," Aaron replied.

Pim rang a bell and a different servant appeared. She asked for tea to be brought out. "And some sweets for the little ones, please and thank you," she said, as she looked at the two fidgeting children, especially the boy, who had blond hair and brown eyes and was the spitting image of his grandfather at that age. Their host smiled in a way that made Aaron and Rachel think it had been a long time since she had last done that.

"And what would your name be, young master?" she asked.

He looked at her with confidence and replied, "'Tis Zebulon, ma'am."

Then she looked at the little girl. "And yours?" Pim inquired.

The child stood tall and, with a smile she had inherited from her father and grandfather, replied, "'Tis Priscilla. But my friends call me Pim."

Pim found herself struggling to maintain control of her emotions. Lon's granddaughter had clearly been named after her. She bit her lip, then said softly to the girl, "That, too, is what my friends call me. Perhaps since we share this in common we might be friends?"

"I think we should be bestest friends," the girl replied forcefully.

Pim smiled. "I should like that. Would you like to sit in my lap?" The little girl happily complied, scrambling up onto the older woman. Pim then looked at the adults. "It is a most pleasant surprise to be visited by you. What, may I ask, brings you to Princeton?"

"I do not know if you are familiar with London," Aaron answered. "'Tis a city of wonders, to be sure, but 'tis also not a city for those without wealth. Alas, I am not wealthy …" he said, sounding deflated.

Rachel reached over and placed her hand on her husband's arm. "It matters not, Aaron."

He smiled at his wife in a way that made Pim's heart race; that was how Lon used to smile at her all those years ago.

Rachel turned to Pim. "He frets so about whether he is a good enough husband or father because he cannot provide us with silver or fine lace. That he loves us, makes us laugh, even arranges a new beginning for us in America counts little in his estimation." Then, with a wicked yet clearly affectionate grin, she added, "He truly is quite the fool."

"You are most fortunate to have found such a fool," Pim responded, thinking wistfully of the fool she had lost so many years earlier. "May I ask where will you settle?"

"We plan to settle in the Ohio country," Aaron said.

Pim sighed as she was visited by the memory of her long-ago aborted plan. She had spent countless nights over the last three decades dreaming of what life with Lon on the frontier would have been like.

Aaron looked at the woman, suspecting what was passing through her mind. "It was a dream of my father's; one he deeply regretted never being able to pursue."

"Yes," Pim said softly. "I know of such dreams myself." She looked out the window, as if beyond its panes lay Ohio and Lon and a life that should have been. "And how, pray tell, is your father?" she inquired with trepidation, fearing she already knew the answer to the question.

Aaron grimaced. "I am sorry to report that Father has been dead these last fifteen years."

Pim nodded gravely. It was as she suspected. In fact, she was sure she knew the moment when he had died.

"Ma'am, perhaps you and I might talk … in private," he suggested.

Looking at Rachel, Pim said, "The orchards are lovely; perhaps you should like to stroll in them? I will have your tea and the children's sweets brought out to the arbor."

Rachel, clearly expecting this moment, rose; the promise of sweets and play were inducement enough for her boisterous children to follow their mother without making a fuss. The trio walked to the door; then the little girl turned and rushed back to Pim and wrapped her arms around her. Looking up she said, "Remember, bestest friends, forever!"

Pim smiled down at her namesake; the little girl had inherited her grandfather's ability to know when Pim needed comforting. "Yes, little one. Bestest friends, forever. Now go to the orchards, and play."

II.

"You were always his first love," Aaron declared.

"As he was mine," Pim. "Indeed, he was the only one I ever loved."

"And, if I am truthful, you he," Aaron said.

"You do not seem to resent that," Pim replied. "That could not have been fair to your mother."

Aaron smiled. "He was a good husband and a good father. But Mother always knew that Father only entered her life because he was separated from you. Indeed, it was only because of a chance encounter whilst he was ashore that they met."

"I see," Pim said, momentarily disappointed with Lon for even talking with another woman, then annoyed with herself for being so selfish. _'Tis not fair_, she thought, _to dearest Lon's memory to resent his meeting someone who could offer him happiness. _

"Madame Mankey …" Aaron said.

"No," Pim said forcefully, "that is the name of my late husband," taking Aaron aback by the venom with which she uttered those words, "and of my son, but it is not mine. I am a Possible." _And in my heart I am a Stoppabilski_, she added silently.

"As you wish, ma'am," he said. "You are surprised to learn that Father had a family?"

"Yes," she confessed. "He never mentioned it in his letters …"

"I believe that was because he felt guilty."

"What? That fool …"

Aaron could not help but smile; Pim clearly spoke as one who loved Lon enough to be put out by his behavior. "Ma'am," he explained, with sobriety, "Father loved you with all his heart. He knew from your letters how unhappy you were, especially in your marriage, and felt that he had failed you by being taken away. To tell you that he had found another, and had a family with her…"

"But I would not have begrudged Lon his happiness," Pim protested.

"I am sure. But this is the man who followed you everywhere, is it not?"

Pim nodded, memories of Christmas 1776 flooding back.

"You should know," Aaron continued, "that on more than one occasion Father tried to flee his ship, hoping, somehow, to return to you." A dark scowl formed on the young man's face. "Each time he was captured, he was flogged; he was lucky to survive."

Pim sat rigidly, the anger she had felt for Squire Mankey and for her father, resurfacing after having lain dormant for so many years. She clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. The idea of Lon being brutalized tore at her and enraged her. He had written her letters, regaling her with stories of his travels around the globe, trying to make what had happened sound like a grand adventure; he never told her of these punishments.

"He was trapped on that ship for five years," Aaron continued, "never once allowed to set foot on dry land; the letters you sent him were all that kept him from going mad. During those years he learned to cook and he learned to fight. He brought this into battle with him." Aaron stood up and withdrew a battered sword from the scabbard he wore at his side. "Father, as you know, was a gentle soul. But he also proved to be a fierce warrior."

"Yes, I can see how he would be," Pim said, carefully taking the weapon from Aaron. She looked at the blade, then closed her eyes, tightening her hand around the hilt, knowing that her beloved's hand had done the same countless times. "Lon was always scared. Yet he never once refused an adventure. I believe he was the bravest man I ever knew." She looked again at the blade. "Did not your mother mind this?"

"What, that father wielded a sword into which your name was etched?" he asked. "Good heavens, no. He had the sword before he met Mother. Besides, that was nothing compared with the cannon."

"The cannon?" Pim asked.

"Yes. The 'Fighting Pim.' That was the name he gave to his cannon after he became captain of the gun crew on the _Perseus._"

Pim could not help but smile at the many ways that Lon had kept her by his side. Still, she was troubled by something. "Tell me about your mother, please and thank you. I feel most sorry for her, living in the shadow of another woman."

"You need not, ma'am. Mother knew that she loved Father in a way that he never could love her; that she could share part of her life with him was enough for her. And Father did his utmost to make her happy …"

"No. Tell me about her. What did she look like? Where was she from? How did they meet?" Pim demanded.

"Mother was a lovely woman; she died last year of the consumption …"

"I am sorry to hear that," Pim said softly.

"Thank you. Thankfully, her passing was swift. She was a lovely woman, blond haired like Father, but with blue eyes. About your height, indeed your … shape. To be honest, you very much remind me of her." He paused, then continued. "She was a country girl, lost in the city. Father had finally been given leave to go ashore after all those years. Apparently, he really wasn't sure what do with himself. He was wandering the streets of Portsmouth when a young woman came running by, screaming in fear. Ruffians were in hot pursuit. He … intervened; much to his surprise, the woman reappeared, they began to talk, and well … They were married soon thereafter." Seeing the look of surprise on Pim's face, Aaron explained, "It was her idea. She had fallen in love with him almost the moment she met him and felt that he needed an anchor in his life; he was still lost in grief over you, unsure of what to do. He felt an incredible guilt being with Mother, trying to lay aside his feelings for you.

"Ultimately, Mother insisted that he not deny his still-extant feelings for you, that even if he could not be with you, he should not pretend that he did not love you. I believe that Mother's generosity in this regard was what allowed Father to build a new life. She found a broken man, understood his pain and honored it."

"I see," Pim said quietly, grateful that Lon had stumbled across such a remarkable woman. "I am in debt to your mother. It is clear that she took good care of our Lon."

Aaron grinned with pleasure. "She would have been pleased to know you feel that way."

Pim looked away from her young love's son and stared into the distance.

"How did he …"

Aaron closed his eyes. "It was during a frigate action in '91. He died a true hero, sacrificing himself to protect some midshipmen from French boarders."

Pim closed her eyes. "The 12th of September, 1791," she said softly, but not as softly as she intended.

Clearly shocked, Aaron blurted out. "How in Hades did you know that?"

Pim looked at Aaron and shook her head. "It will sound strange. But I had a dream that night; and in it Lon died. I have worn black ever since."

Aaron looked at Pim thoughtfully. This beautiful woman who had married and had a child had been in mourning for a decade and a half for a man she had last seen thirty years earlier. "Ma'am, I do not mean to intrude, but, pray tell me of your life in the years since the fateful night on which you and Father were separated."

She nodded and took a deep breath. Then she told her story.

III.

Pim had yelled and screamed for help, but nobody came. So she stood at the end of the wharf, calling out to Lon that she loved him, watching the long boat pull away into the winter darkness. When finally it was lost to the night, Pim turned and mounted Artemis. What she wanted to do was drop to the ground and cry, but what she needed to do was return to Princeton. Squire Mankey had stolen her love from her and she planned to make him pay with his life.

Driven by fury, she spurred Artemis on. The horse, as if sensing Pim's urgency, gave all it had. They raced towards Princeton, finally reaching the large, comfortable house on the edge of the village. Pim climbed down, loaded her pistols and ran to the door. She looked at the knocker for a moment, then did something she had never done before. She pivoted on her left foot and kicked open the door with her right.

The butler, shocked, stared open-mouthed at Pim, who, brandishing her weapons, snarled a warning to get out of her way. She stormed into the library, where she found the Squire seated, still drinking his Madeira.

"So, my young wench has returned," he said.

Pim leveled a pistol at his head and cocked the trigger. "Prepare to die, you cur!" she snapped.

Much to Pim's surprise, he neither panicked nor showed fear. Based on events earlier in the evening, she had expected him to beg for his life

"I am prepared to do just that, Priscilla," the Squire said evenly. "But know this: if you pull the trigger, you will destroy your family. Your father. Your brother."

"They can live with the shame of a daughter and sister who, overcome with grief, killed the most loathsome man this town has ever known."

"Perhaps. But can they live with the reputations of being a traitor and son of a traitor to the Rebel cause?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, suddenly caught off guard.

"Your young man, taken away by English marines. How do you think that was arranged?"

"You," she declared; that his hand was behind this was already known.

"It has long been rumored that I am loyal to the Crown," he said, ignoring her. "Many in the Jerseys are. But your father is proud to be known as an American, to be one of General Washington's most trusted aides. Imagine what would become of his name, and of your brother's, if it were to be known that he had arranged to have his daughter's friend sold to the English, because doing so would relieve him of a financial burden. At the least, I believe he would be denied his commission and subject to a court martial. At worst …"

Pim looked at Mankey with disgust. While her fury towards her father remained undimmed, and she wanted him to suffer for what he had done to Lon and to her, she did not wish him to die. And if his name was ruined, then so too would be her brother's. It was one thing for Phin to go through life without an education; it was another for him to be branded a traitor's son.

"The fate of the Possibles rests in your hands, Priscilla."

"What do you want?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"Nothing more than I wanted at the beginning of the evening. You will marry me and give me an heir."

"I hate you," she hissed

"That is of no matter. You know that it is not your affection I desire."

IV.

"So you married Squire Mankey?"

Pim sighed. "Yes. All of the dreams I had were turned into nightmares. Lon's letters were the only thing that kept me going. Even young Zebulon disappointed me."

"Zebulon?"

Pim smirked. "I gave the Squire what he sought: a son. But I was determined that he would be like the man who should have been his father, and not the swine whose name he bore. So I named him Zebulon. And I did all I could to make him be a decent man. In that, however, I failed. I do not know if it was the humors he inherited from the squire or my parenting," she said, looking away from Aaron, as if the answer to that question might be found in a corner of the room. She then turned back to her guest. "My son is a dissolute and wayward wastrel. And like his late father, he blithely manipulates people for his own ends. He is currently in Philadelphia, where he is supposedly painting portraits but I suspect is actually carousing and seducing the local women, when he should be tending to his wife and young son."

Silence descended upon the room. Finally, Aaron spoke again. "May I ask what became of your father?"

Pim laughed derisively. "Father's reputation was secured; he served with distinction by General Washington's side throughout the war, then remarried. My brother Phin completed his studies at the College and is now an instructor there himself. He has a most ardent fascination with natural philosophy; I fear he will someday cause a great cataclysm with one of his experiments. I must confess that I am glad that he works away from his home and family."

Aaron and Pim sat quietly in the parlor. The afternoon sun streamed through the large windows, illuminating the dust motes as they played in the air. To Aaron, the melancholy and sorrow in the room was palpable. He felt that of Pim and Lon, it was she who had suffered more. His father, though star-crossed, had been a force for good in the lives of many; the orphan died knowing he was beloved by family, friends, and shipmates. And while Lon may have suffered both physically and emotionally during his time in the Royal Navy, he _had_ lived a great adventure and _did_ die a true hero. Pim, on the other hand, had been trapped, stuck inside a chrysalis of bitterness, deprived of every hope and dream she had ever had, forced to marry a man she despised and mother a son who had disappointed her tremendously.

Aaron looked at Pim and thought of his father and what he would have wanted for the woman he had loved until the day he died.

"If I may be so bold, ma'am, I should like to venture a suggestion."

"Yes?" she asked.

"It is time for you to take off the mourning black."

"I shall never do that," she said, her eyes flashing defiance. "Not until I rejoin Lon in the next life."

"But he would want you to enjoy this one." Seeing she was about to protest, Aaron raised a hand. "I told you before that he spoke often to Mother of you. He loved everything about you, but what he loved most was your free spirit. He said you were like a zephyr."

"A zephyr." Pim smiled. "Dearest Lon. He may not have been the most intelligent of men but he did have a facility with words. Did you know he used to write ditties?"

Aaron laughed. "And he sang them to us, too." Then he pointed at Pim. "… I believe Father would be horrified to see you in black. He would want to see you dressed in bright colors, enjoying this beautiful house with its gardens, riding your horse through the countryside. Ma'am, I am sure that when you do pass to that better place, you and Father will be reunited. But until that hour he would have wanted you to feel joy, not sorrow."

Pim sat quietly, thinking on Aaron's words. "It has been so long since I have felt joy," she finally said, her voice laden with sadness. "I do not even know if I am any longer capable of truly feeling it."

Just then, little Pim burst into the room, her mother in hot pursuit. The girl bounded onto Pim's lap. "You must come outside and play with us."

Panting, Rachel, with her son in tow, reached for her daughter's hand. "Do excuse us … we did not mean to interrupt."

The little girl hugged Pim. "But she is my bestest friend. She said so! Now she must come and play with us! It's what bestest friends do."

Pim began to stroke the hair of her lost love's granddaughter. She recalled playing with her 'bestest friend' long ago. Of kissing him. Of dreaming of their future together. That future had eluded her. But a part of him had returned to her in this family. It was not the same, but they were guides, surely sent by Lon, to lead her out of her despair. "You are right. That is indeed what bestest friends do. Come, and I will show you many fine places for bestest friends to play … but first, I think, I must change."

A few minutes later, much to Little Pim's delight and the shock of the others, Pim descended the stairs of her house wearing a loose cotton shirt, a pair of old breeches, and a warm, playful smile. For the first time in many a year, Pim Possible knew happiness.

V.

After Kim and Ron Stoppable had finished reading the journals and letters of Pim Possible and Lon Stoppabilski, they sat quietly in their family room, looking at the moldy old books, yellowed documents, and antique sword. They were both stunned by what they had discovered about their past. Kim recalled consulting the family history after she and Ron had their Pim and Lon dream in Japan almost ten years earlier. All she learned then was that her great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great aunt had married and had a son; her husband's name was, or so they had all believed, 'Monk.' Ron, in turn, was amazed to learn that Aaron Stoppabilski wasn't the first of his ancestors to set foot in America. They were both dumbfounded, and not a little spooked, that their families had first crossed paths two centuries ago and that had things turned out differently between Pim and Lon, Ron would most likely not ever have been born.

They learned all of these things after a decidedly abashed and chagrined Josh Mankey, with whom they had remained friendly over the years, had brought the items over two days earlier. He explained that he had inherited an old family property in New Jersey and that on a recent visit back East, he had found some things that he thought would be of interest to Kim. She had been puzzled by Josh's comment, but when she asked what he meant, he would only say that he was sorry; that he was glad that, unlike others in the past, he hadn't gotten in the way of what was clearly meant to be; and that he expected she would understand once she and Ron had read the papers.

Having done that, Kim and Ron now understood what Josh had meant. The tragic story of Pim and Lon made the Stoppables appreciate what they had that much more. Kim snuggled closer to Ron, who began stroking her hair. They were sitting quietly, enjoying each other's presence, when Ron sat up like a bolt.

"What is it?" she asked her husband, surprised and concerned by the sudden appearance of his I-just-ate-bad-Tex-Mex face.

"You kissed somebody you were related to! That is so wrong-sick!"

"Dial down the drama, Ron," she said, rolling her eyes. "So Josh and I are like tenth cousins, twenty times removed. It's no big." Still, thinking back on what she had just read, Kim suddenly found the memory of kissing 'Cousin Josh' a bit, well, gorchy. Knowing there was only one thing she could do to banish the now very unwelcome recollection, Kim shifted and brought her lips to her husband's. They began kissing, slowly, then with increasing passion.

"Eww! They're doing it again!" Mim Stoppable, Kim and Ron's young daughter, exclaimed.

"Yuck! Mommy and Daddy have cooties!" her twin brother Jon Stoppable added.

The two parents broke their kiss and, still holding one another, smiled at their children, who stood in the doorway in their pajamas. Kim and Ron exchanged knowing looks; Ron got up, took the sword, and placed it safely out of reach. Then he looked to his wife and she nodded. Kim may no longer have been a teen hero nor Ron her sidekick, but she was a globe-trotting, crisis-solving doctor and he was still by her side whenever she went into the field. Years of teamwork had honed their reflexes. Kim and Ron were on their kids, tickling them mercilessly.

Joyous laughter and delighted squealing filled the room and the family enjoyed playing together for some time. But the hour was late, and the twins tired, eventually failing in their fight to fend off sleep. Kim and Ron gathered up their children, and put them back to bed.

After Mim and Jon were tucked in, Kim and Ron returned to the family room to put away Pim's materials.

As Kim gathered up the journals and letters, thinking of how the family's American Revolution Christmas Tree story would need to be revised, Ron hefted the sword and withdrew it from its scabbard. Looking at the tempered steel, he asked, "Wonder what Sensei would have said if I had etched your name onto the Lotus Blade?"

Kim smiled, put the things she was holding down on the table, and hugged her husband from behind. "I don't know. But, I think it would be a _very_ romantic thing to do."

"Well, you know the Rondo's all about romance with his bon-diggity wife!"

"Spankin'," Kim said invitingly as she took Ron's hand and led him to their bedroom.

VI.

Nine months later, Kim gave birth to a second pair of twins. The Stoppables named their new children Aaron Zebulon and Priscilla, though, not surprisingly, they called the boy Lon and the girl Pim.

_The End._


End file.
